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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27676778">Learning to Let Go</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caellastle/pseuds/Caellastle'>Caellastle</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Corpse Husband - Fandom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Corpse Husband - Freeform, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, My First Fanfic, YouTube</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-07 00:23:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,986</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27676778</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caellastle/pseuds/Caellastle</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Anna leaves her past and moves into a new apartment in southern California to focus on her rising YouTube channel, ALeafyPotat. Struggling to keep herself together, she finds herself becoming friends by chance with the mysterious masked man across the hall who goes by the name... Corey? Together they discover things about themselves that opens new doors and helps them learn to let go.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Corpse Husband (Video Blogging RPF)/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Learning to Let Go</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey guys! This isn't finished but I will be trying to update frequently, so if you have any comments I would love to see them! please be kind, this is my first time posting any of my stories and I've never made a fanfic before so this is all pretty new. I hope you enjoy it though!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter One</p><p>	“WAIT,” shouts a petite woman struggling on the sidewalk. She stumbles forward while readjusting the tower of cardboard boxes weighing her down, “Can you please hold that door for me?!” </p><p>The young man a few steps ahead pauses, before moving aside and allowing her to step inside the apartment building. The complex itself is fairly modern with crisp white walls and black marble floors. The lobby feels welcoming as she takes in the plush couch adorned with throw pillows, floral decorations and paintings on the walls. </p><p>This place is like a dream. It feels far too expensive to live in, but her career making Youtube videos had really taken off in the past couple years, allowing her to indulge herself. After a couple shoutouts from some larger channels, tons of people started to follow her and enjoy her gaming videos. She hadn't really ever considered YouTube a job until recently when she realized just how much this could impact her life, and it was an opportunity to do something she's passionate about. She can’t help but wish she had started a bit sooner.</p><p>Stepping in past the man, she immediately sets the boxes down on the nearest table to give her arms a rest. Carrying her belongings in from the parking garage was a massive hassle. The California air came with a relentless heat that made her sigh in relief as the air conditioning blew across her face. Her arms ached from moving boxes around all day, but she knew it would be worth it to finally be free from the darkened memories of her old house. </p><p>“Thank you so much! This is the last of my boxes and I didn't want to have to make two trips,” she shares, “I’m Annabelle by the way.”</p><p>Annabelle turns around to glance back at the stranger. The lower half of the man's face is hidden behind a black face mask, not unusual due to recent pandemic, but most people had stopped wearing them after the vaccine was created. She then notices his dark, unruly curls that seem to perfectly frame his face. He’s quite attractive. </p><p>“Uhh no problem,” replies a low, raspy voice. He paces forwards, then looks down to adjust one of the many rings on his slender hands. “Do you want some help?” </p><p>Annabelle froze for a moment, caught off guard by his deep voice, before giving him a shy smile. </p><p>“It’s okay, I think I’ve got it from here,” she replied with an amicable laugh, “Thank you again for holding the door.” </p><p>She knows accepting his offer would have been the smarter choice, but right now all she wants to do is lay down and sleep the rest of the day away. She has spent enough time lately forcing a smile, it’s time for a break. With one last glance at the masked stranger, she picks up the stack of boxes and begins the journey to the elevator.<br/>
She doesn’t even hear the gravely whisper of the disheartened stranger.</p><p>“Fuck.”<br/>
~~~</p><p>Tap. Tap. Tap.</p><p>The rain creates a steady rhythm as it falls onto the window pane. A background melody for the choir of thoughts screaming inside her mind. Grey skies shadow over her body like a blanket made of ice. Wrapping around her, encapsulating her body in its icy clutch. The sky becomes so cold that it’s ice. The icicles grow sharp and creep towards her. So close she can almost feel them piercing her skin. Suddenly she's freezing. The world is shifting and the sky becomes black, but the noise is growing louder and louder until her ears are bleeding and everyone is screaming. </p><p>She hears her mothers enraged voice shouting at her father who tries to calm her down but the voice only grows louder. And then there’s crying. A little girl is crying in her room with her hands over her ears and she so desperately wants for everything to be silent, but the voices grow louder and she hears the sound of a bottle shatter and glass hitting the floor. For a moment it's quiet. And then she sees the blood. She can never unsee the blood and the cold lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling and suddenly she’s sobbing. “WHAT HAVE YOU DON--”</p><p>	Anna gasps for air, hand clenching her chest as she bolts up off the couch. She had fallen asleep again.</p><p>	Hands shaking, she wipes her face and looks at the wet tears that soil them. The nightmares had been getting worse lately. She had hoped things would get better once she moved, but a month in she still wakes in fear every time her eyes close. </p><p>	Tea. A warm mug of tea sounds nice. Anna hastily makes her way to her small kitchen and rummages around the cupboard before finally finding a box of tea. Setting it on the counter, she crosses the space to put the kettle on the stove. She falls into a trance as she does the one thing that helps calm herself down. Two spoonfuls of sugar fall into the mug. </p><p>	Once upon a time, Anna would have called her sister after a nightmare like this. Her older sister, Alessa, had always been so supportive and comforting towards her younger sibling, trying to protect her from the world. Whispering words of reassurance and reminding her that things would work themselves out. But she knew that if she called Alessa, she wouldn’t pick up.</p><p>	Anna shakes her head to clear out the memories, grabs her cup of tea and sits down by the window. She holds the mug between both hands and takes a deep breath. The scent of cinnamon and spice grace the air and steam washes over her face. Taking a small sip, she notes that the rain had stopped. Not many people are out on the streets. It’s a Saturday night, and looking over at the clock she notes that it's nearly midnight. Something about the glow of the streetlights makes her want to go for a walk. Wander the lifeless streets in the hazy mist. Hear the small splashes as her shoe lands in a puddle.<br/>
“Screw it.”</p><p>	Anna puts the mug on the floor and reaches for her coat. What’s stopping her from walking the neighborhood? Making sure to put on a heavier pair of boots, she grabs her phone and heads out the door.</p><p>	The halls of the apartment building are silent in a way that’s almost relaxing. A major contrast from the vivid dream plaguing her conscious. She can't hear her mothers voice ringing in her head anymore.</p><p>	Small footsteps echo down the stairs and into the night. The water gathered on the sidewalks glisten with city lights. The crisp air fogs with each breath she takes as Anna makes her way down the road.<br/>
She begins to reflect on herself as she walks. Her anxiety has been flaring up lately, too scared to contact her old pharmacist to have her prescription transferred. So she's been having trouble falling asleep. Endless hours spent staring at the ceiling until the world is dark and the nightmares follow. Hands shaking from the lack of food, not because she means too but because she's lost her appetite. She knows that if she doesn't do something about it soon she's going to have a breakdown, but for now she'll try to take things slow. Anna nods in agreement to herself, it's a good plan.</p><p>She puts on a smile every time she meets a new person, every time she turns on her camera even though she knows what she should be doing is asking for help. However, the world can't know the struggles she's facing to their fullest extent because that means they would have something to hold against her and that terrifies her. So she makes lighthearted jokes while exploring the depths in Subnautica. She loves that game. When she first watched Jacksepticeye play it she knew she had to make a playthrough herself. She puts on cute outfits with cat ears and makes silly little videos of her playing the imposter in Among Us. If she can't find happiness in herself, that doesn't mean she can't try to provide happiness for others.</p><p>Pulling herself out of her thoughts and checking her phone, she notes that an hour has gone by and decides it's time to head back. </p><p>Anna makes her way back to her apartment and reaches in her pocket, but only finds her phone. Shit. </p><p>A frustrated groan leaves her lips. She left her keys on the counter in her haste to be spontaneous. Okay, okay, today's a Sunday. So that means the people who work the desk downstairs won't be here until 5, which is 4 hours from now…. Damn.</p><p>She sits down against her door and hugs her knees. Why do things like this always happen to her? </p><p>The light coming from the apartment across the hall catches her eyes. Does that mean the person who lives there is awake? She weighs her options. Silently sit in the hallway for four hours or knock on her neighbors door and see if she can wait it out on their couch or something. Part of her really doesn't want to bother whoever lives there and make herself to be a weirdo who asks to sit in someone's house at 1am, but the hall is kinda cold and creepy.<br/>
She heaves herself off the floor and steps forward. One.. two.. three.. </p><p>Knock, knock, knock.</p><p>Nothing seems to happen, but then she hears the slow footsteps as someone makes their way to the door. She holds her breath as the pause. The door cracks open and she's greeted by the masked face of the stranger she encountered on the day she moved in. His hair is tousled and poking out in funny angles, and his eyes look tired. There's faint rings of purple lining the dark brown irises, framed by his thick lashes. His lower face is once again covered by a black mask, much like the first time they had met. This mask has long white fang shapes on it that form a menacing grin. While his appearance and dark clothing makes him look a bit scary, he's looking at her in a sleepy confusion that makes her feel that this was the right decision.</p><p>"Uhhhh… Can I help you?" He asked. It seems impossible but his voice is even deeper than before. </p><p>"I'm hoping so? So, um you see, I decided to go on a walk and forgot to bring my keys and now I'm locked out. And I noticed your light was on so I was hoping that maybe I could crash here until someone can let me in?" </p><p>Anna's voice comes out in a quick panic, sentences mushing together as she nervously jumbles out her explanation. </p><p>He looks her up and down, taking in her oversized, dark green coat and light pink rain boots with little cat shaped buckles on the sides, all damp from the rain which had picked back up. Caramel brown hair sitting on top of her head in a messy bun is matted to her face. Her face has mascara smudged around her eyes, as if she had wiped away tears and forgot she had makeup on. She looks like a wreck. </p><p>He takes a moment to think. His place is fairly clean minus some random clothes and random things laying about. She’s clearly having a rough night and he knows he’d feel bad if he didn’t say yes. It’s just, he hasn’t let anyone in his apartment in so long. Isolating himself from the outside world and pushing old friends away. But somehow this feels different.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah um you can come in,” his voice rumbled, trying to hide the fear lacing his thoughts. He once again holds the door open for Anna and with that, she steps inside.</p>
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